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July 24, 2009 by Isagenix Nutritional Sciences

Dairy proteins promote muscle growth along with exercise.

Muscle building is not just for the bodybuilder or athletes. We should all be interested in the amount of muscle mass we have because it’s important for overall health, for our immune system and for how much fat we’ll burn on a daily basis—yes, muscle burns fat!

For muscle growth to happen (muscle hypertrophy), your body depends on protein synthesis. Not only does protein synthesis have to occur, but it has to exceed protein breakdown. Protein breakdown occurs continuously as a normal biological process—after exercise, in particular, there is an increase in this breakdown called catabolism. Unfortunately, breakdown on a daily basis accelerates as we grow older. So, to increase muscle mass—and we’re really concerned with skeletal muscle mass—there are a few hurdles we must consider.

First, we know the best way to create muscle growth is to be in an “anabolic” state—that means providing our muscles with an environment to grow! Resistance exercise (weight lifting) is by far the most effective way to stimulate hypertrophy. But is that it? No! In the absence of food we would not overcome the negative protein balance—the interaction of exercise and nutrients on muscle protein metabolism is the key to success.

Amino acids must be available to the muscles to give them the building blocks for making protein. We must have these amino acids available at the right time for protein synthesis. In fact, one amino acid, leucine, can stimulate synthesis independent of its structural role. To maximize muscle protein anabolism, then, we know that resistance exercise results in a positive protein balance when food intake follows within a few hours after exercising. This is prime time anabolism!

The type of protein consumed does affect outcome, according to recent evidence. We know that digestive properties of proteins will influence the time it takes to break down (digest) the protein for absorption of amino acids to reach the blood stream.

Dairy proteins casein and whey each present properties that can serve muscle growth. Casein clots in the stomach and slowly releases into the small intestine where absorption of amino acids and peptides occur. Whey proteins and other proteins are still soluble in the stomach (low acid and watery environment) and are quickly released into the small intestine where they are digested and absorbed. The whey amino acids, then, will appear faster than casein and be available for muscle protein synthesis. Casein will digest slower and appear in the blood later keeping blood levels of amino acids elevated.

At the same time a unique stimulus is occurring. Whey proteins have the highest levels of branched-chain amino acids (isoleucine, leucine, and valine) than any other protein source. This is a key differentiating attribute of whey that provides another trigger for protein synthesis to occur in muscles.

Basic knowledge of protein make-up, digestion and ability to stimulate protein synthesis in muscles has been the cornerstone of Isagenix IsaLean Shake formulations. We’ve combined the best physiological attributes of whey and casein proteins to synergistically maximize the ability to increase muscle mass.

Understanding the ability of dietary proteins to increase satiety—feelings of fullness—provides further benefits of the IsaLean Shake, but that’s for another article. Stay tuned!

Susie Rockway, Ph.D., CNS
Isagenix Director of Nutritional Sciences

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>> Saturday, August 29, 2009

uly 24, 2009 by Isagenix Nutritional Sciences

woman_scaleWeight-loss plateaus happen. If they didn’t, we’d be worried. But here are a few suggestions you can use to support continued success.

Exercise. Exercise can boost your results ten-fold, especially if it includes weight training. Not only will weight training help you build lean muscle, which helps burn fat, but it can also help strengthen bones. Be sure to consult a health-care professional before starting any exercise program.

Extra protein. A scoop of IsaPro with 1-1½ scoops of IsaLean Shake may be sufficient to provide an extra boost for supporting weight loss.
Snack right. We all snack. Just avoid snacking on high-calorie, nutrient-deficient foods. In other words, keep the cake, potato chips and ice cream out of the house.

Make “better bad” eating choices. If you’re out at a fast food restaurant and a greasy burger is calling your name, just choose a single-patty with lettuce and tomato and hold the cheese and mayo.

Dietary fiber. Be sure you are receiving sufficient amounts of dietary fiber daily. Fiber helps keep you feeling satisfied longer while also keeping bowel movements regular. Isagenix recommends gradually increasing fiber to 25-30 grams daily, in line with current National Fiber Council recommendations. Isagenix products FiberPro and

Weight loss success is often about making better choices.

Weight loss success is often about making better choices.

SlimCakes can help fill fiber gaps. FiberPro is a flavorless fiber supplement that can be added to shakes or any beverage. SlimCakes are delicious oatmeal-berry flavored cookies containing 5 grams of fiber each.

Avoid sugary drinks. These can add “no nutrition” calories quickly. It’s best to drink plenty of purified water and/or nutrient-dense sugar drink alternatives such as IsaFruits.

Say no to “bad” fats. The “bad” includes saturated and trans fats. “Good” fats include olive oil rich in oleic acid and fish oil rich in omega-3 fatty acids. To take ultimate advantage of omega-3 fatty acids, it’s best to take a high-potency, high-quality fish oil supplement daily. New research also shows that dietary omega-3 fatty acids may be linked to lower bodyweight.

Mix it up. We all have individual differences. Something that may work for one person may not work for the next. Be sure to try a few different things and see what works best for you.

Whatever you do, it’s important that you don’t become discouraged. Shoot all scales. Pay attention to your body. As you continue to enjoy a reduced-calorie diet, providing your body with quality nutrition, and building muscle through exercise, then the weight will begin to come off safely.

Bill Wheeler, Ph.D., ACSM
Isagenix Chief Science Officer

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